La madera como recurso en grupos cazadores-recolectores patagónicos: métodos de análisis del material leñoso.

Abstract

La gestión del material leñoso por parte de las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras patagónicas estuvo condicionada y determinada por la movilidad, la duración y la función de las distintas ocupaciones. El estudio arqueobotánico de restos vegetales leñosos permite comprender el papel que jugaron estos recursos dentro de una sociedad brindando una mejor aproximación a la dinámica socioeconómica de un grupo. Para comprender los modos de obtención y usos de los recursos leñosos en grupos cazadores-recolectores es necesaria la aplicación de diferentes técnicas de análisis. El propósito del presente trabajo es dar a conocer, dentro del dossier Estudios arqueobotánicos en Argentina. Situación actual y nuevas perspectivas, las distintas metodologías utilizadas en 18 estudios arqueobotánicos. Los resultados obtenidos hasta el momento permiten plantear diferencias y algunas similitudes en cuanto a la gestión de los recursos leñosos por parte de los antiguos pobladores de la Patagonia. La integración de las distintas metodologías y técnicas de estudio del material leñoso, utilizado como combustible y/o materia prima, representa un avance dentro de la arqueobotánica patagónica.

Fuel management in high mobility groups in Patagonia (Argentina) during the Holocene: Anthracological evidences of the sites Cerro Casa de Piedra 5 and Cerro Casa de Piedra 7

“…The number of taxa represented in each one of the levels, ranges between 8 and 4. It is important to note, on one side, that in the case of level 6 (5310 ± 110 BP), a shrubby species was also registered ( Maytenus magellanica ) that was used as raw material for the fabrication of an artifact (see Caruso Fermé 2012, 2015; Caruso Fermé et al, 2015). The presence of this taxon was not documented among the woody fragments in any of the levels in CCP7 nor CCP5.…”

“…Vegetal remains of the archeological sites CCP5 and CCP7 were recovered by means of dry sieving of all the excavation sediment. The size of the mesh used in the sieves was 2 mm (Caruso Fermé, 2012; Caruso Fermé and Civalero, 2014). This sampling method was rigorously and systematically applied during the various archeological field seasons to each of the excavated levels of each archeological site.…”

“…Allue et al, 2013; Allué et al, 2017; Caruso Fermé, 2008; Chabal et al, 1999; Chrzavzez, 2006; Théry-Parisot, 2001; Zapata, 1999, 2007). This management of fuel does not necessarily exclude a strong taxonomic selection of wood or, on the contrary, the use of a wide spectrum of woody species (Caruso Fermé, 2012; Chabal et al, 1999; Théry-Parisot, 1998; Vidal-Matutano et al, 2017). Following this proposal, the observation of charcoal microscopic degradation characteristics suggests that in some archeological sites, attributable to hunters-gatherers, dead wood (altered) was used as fuel (e.g.…”

“…Following this proposal, the observation of charcoal microscopic degradation characteristics suggests that in some archeological sites, attributable to hunters-gatherers, dead wood (altered) was used as fuel (e.g. Caruso Fermé, 2012, 2015; Chrzavzez, 2006; Théry-Parisot and Texier, 2006).…”

“…Fuel management, developed by patagonic hunters-gatherers societies, was conditioned and determined by (a) socio-economical group characteristics (social organization, mobility degree, division of labor, site occupation functionality), (b) wood acquisition modalities (collection types, extraction techniques, type of needs and/or finally of wood collection) and (c) ideological characteristics (environment perception, preferences or prohibition in the use of certain types of wood, etc.) (Caruso Fermé, 2008, 2012, 2015; Caruso Fermé and Civalero, 2014; Caruso Fermé et al, 2015, 2016). Acquisition modalities of wood fuel among hunters-gatherers groups were based on wood selection according to caliber, humidity and state.…”